[Evaluation of results after arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with a free graft of the patellar ligament]. / Ocena wyników artroskopowej rekonstrukcji wiezadla krzyzowego przedniego wolnym przeszczepem z wiezadla rzepki.

From among 312 patients treated with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (one-incision, transtibial with the use of ipsilateral bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft) between 1992 and 1994 256 (82%) were reviewed with a mean follow-up of 26.4 months. An aggressive rehabilitative protocol advocated by Shelbourne has been employed. Stability of the knee has been assessed with KT-1000 arthrometer and IKDC and OAK forms served to evaluate the results. In 77% of the cases nearly normal function of the knee has been restored (87% excellent and good results in OAK form). Arthroscopic technique and aggressive rehabilitation decreased the number of patients with peripatellar pain and improved patient's acceptance of the management. Competitive athletes seem to achieve best end-results.

[3-dimensional ultrasound image of the infant hip]. / Die 3dimensionale Ultraschalldarstellung der Säuglingshüfte.

Clinical and experimental studies proved the usefulness of three-dimensional sonographic diagnosis by means of a newly constructed transducer providing for a coordinated sequence of cuts, and hence initial trials investigated its application in sonographic diagnosis of the infant hip. Differences were found in the three-dimensional anatomic image between normal and dysplastic hips. It is no longer necessary to draw any lines or to perform any calculations of angles as required in "conventional" hip sonography. In contrast to conventional hip sonography, the use of a sector transducer is meaningful with this method, since the drawbacks of the sector transducer stated by Graf, do not apply. Clinical studies will have to confirm the possible use of this new method in diagnosis disturbances in infant hip maturation.

New aspects of lumbar disc disease. MR imaging and histological findings.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plain X-ray and CT studies were performed in patients with a history of lumbar back pain due to spinal disc disease. Spin-echo pulse sequences (SE), phase-contrast techniques (partial saturation sequences with delayed readout, PS), and fat-suppressing inversion recovery sequences (STIR) were employed. In 74 of 325 patients, PS and STIR images displayed vertebral marrow changes adjacent to the end-plates of the affected segments. Bacterial infection, however, could be excluded. In six patients histological diagnosis showed substitution of hematopoietic marrow by fatty tissue, cartilaginous particles, degeneration of fat cells, and an increase in extracellular fluid with different components. The etiology is still unclear, but a correlation with lumbar disc disease is demonstrated. These vertebral marrow changes were best displayed with STIR and phase-contrast MR sequences, both providing contrast changes superior to T2-weighted SE techniques.